Original Writing. The water was not as it should be, it had a shimmer, and it was think and oozed from the tap. Penny still stood with me; although she couldnt smell anything, taste anything or see anything strange! Why was it just me?

It was dark outside now; but I couldn’t stay. I tried to call home but the line was dead, my Dad’s mobile was switched off and I had no choice other than to walk.

The way home was long and there was a fierce wind blowing. I had just reached the lake when the sky started to crowd and the stars faded away behind a thick layer of clouds, a dark mist was forming; dissolving the world around me into a foggy blur. A small tear stung my eye as I was reminded of the night my mother drowned, in this very lake. I had the aroma of lavender hanging over me still; the fresh air had not helped as I thought it would. Standing by the waterside, looking out over the murderous waters, something unsettled me, something was wrong. Suddenly a shiver raced down my spine; there she was again, floating weightlessly above the water in front me, white and glowing. I began to hear the soothing sound of her voice call out to me, using words I could not understand, just beautiful sounds. I was drawn to her, stepping closer and closer to the waters edge. Then again it hit me, knocking me down; the smell of lavender. I stumbled backwards falling to the ground my body aching and weak, something was different. I looked up and she was gone – no glow or mist, no white angel. The scent of lavender dissolved away leaving a rotting smell, the stench of mould and damp like decaying fruit. The darkness surrounded me – the trees and bushes shook, the sky was swamped with gloomy clouds, the moon and stars had been swallowed by the night. Just darkness was left; cold and empty. I was alone, my angel gone. I clambered to my feet.

Then I felt breathing on my neck, slow and heavy. It was hot breath, warm but filled with sorrow, a sad breath. I didn’t dare turn around, afraid of what was so close behind me. A soft had reached out and touched my arm lightly stoking my shoulder. The hand stopped, resting on my elbow. A heavy hand grabbed my other arm. It was rough and cold. It gripped me hard, digging into my skin. I closed my eyes, gathering my thoughts and breathing calmly to control myself, to believe I could be brave. I opened my eyes still in the grasp of something or someone and there she was yet again, closer and brighter flying towards me but looking at the water, down into the murky lake under her. She stopped not too far from my own face and looked up. There was noting, no face no features, just a black hole sucking me in. I was looking more and more intensely to where this creature’s face should have been. I knew that this was not my mother; it had never been. I couldn’t be and I effused to believe it. It was not!

I hadn’t realised it but my feet were no longer on the ground, the white being had not been flying towards me, in fact I had been flying towards it! I glanced down to see myself reflected back in the water’s surface. Then the rotting smell, a high pitched shriek and a fast freezing wind thumping my face all started at once. I lost all sensations the feeling was gone in all of me, I was hot and cold, I was happy yet sad, every opposite you could imagine, I was neither, I just was. I could smell nothing, taste nothing, hear nothing and see nothing. I was aware of absolutely nothing, my body left me I just existed in a dark no-where with this white spirit looking deep within me, gazing straight through me. I spoke, the words just tumbled out.

“What are you?”

It laughed.